Due to the need for less consumption of fuel, the automobile industry is focusing its efforts on drastic reduction of weight of vehicles along with considerable reduction in acceleration performance. Lightweight vehicles represent a safety factor whereby traffic fatalities substantially increase in connection with collisions of lighter weight cars. In addition, cars with poor acceleration constitute a hazard when entering a high speed highway or when passing another vehicle.
It is old and well known to provide a fly wheel for absorbing fluctuations in speed to thereby even out the torque output of the engine. Since a heavy fly wheel prevents a rapid increase in rotational speed when the throttle is open, increased acceleration can be obtained by decreasing the size and weight of the fly wheel but that is attained at a sacrifice of smooth running in the low speed ranges.
Prior fly wheel energy storage systems in motor vehicles are characterized by several obstacles, primarily lack of a low cost, high capacity, wide ratio and efficient continuously variable ratio transmission (CVT) and a satisfactory control system therefore.
The present invention addresses itself to solution of the problem of attaining higher miles per gallon without decreasing the size and weight of the vehicle or comprimising its acceleration ability. Thus, the present invention is directed to an arrangement whereby a full sized automobile can achieve on the road fuel economy levels equaling or exceeding those of light weight, low performance vehicles while maintaining performance and convenience meeting traditional standards.